Recently, we’ve talked about strategies you can use to improve your business’s rankings in search results. Business owners need to pay attention to various aspects of their online presence, such as star ratings and website SEO, which affect how their pages show up in searches.
In an attempt to create a more seamless experience, Google updates will soon change the way search results display on mobile phones. Instead of page after page of results, links show up in a continuous list, a feature already common to scrolling through social media posts. Google previously implemented this type of results display with images and videos. In a slow roll out, they will now implement a similar experience in its original search engine in the U.S. for mobile use.
This means a “first page” of search results no longer exists in mobile view… the way most people use Google. What does this mean for SEO stats and rankings? How can you keep your business’s ranking at the top and make sure people keep finding your business through Google searches?
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Endless Results Create Endless Possibilities
People who search online naturally explore the top results, first. If they find what they need within those top links, they may or may not venture past the first page. With the introduction of continuous scrolling, these first-page rankings become a thing of the past.
Continuous scrolling modernizes the way searchers interact with Google’s homepage and search results. It also speeds up the process of viewing results, as searchers can simply keep scrolling through the list as it loads, instead of waiting for each page of ten results to load. Websites that formerly fell on a second or third page of search results will gain an advantage with a quicker “load more” feature following the last result on the page.
Since searchers will now have access to more and broader results through a single search, businesses need to consider how they want to respond to this update and adjust their website’s SEO. Think about ways you can expand your business’s presence in these wider-ranged search results.
While the change brings a number of potential benefits for local business websites, owners need to stay attentive to how it affects their search rankings. You don’t want your site to get lost in an unending list of links. Luckily, I’ve got a few ways you can stay ahead of Google’s changes and leverage them so you’ll benefit by getting more views and more website traffic.
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3 Ways to Improve Your Ranking on Mobile Google Search Results
I’m giving you three important aspects of online marketing to consider as this Google update continues to roll out for mobile users:
- Add How-To Lists and Pictures to Your Content
You’ve probably noticed that Google previews website content under the initial link and title of each search result. You can leverage this bit of visible info to attract more searchers. Make sure your website previews hint at solutions to customers’ problems. One way you can do this: how-to lists in blog posts. Google will scan your blog post and automatically create a to-do list that appears in the search results.
Frequently adding keywords about activities and associated services will broaden your reach through related searches. One local bicycle shop publishes content about bike repair, trails to ride, and equipment cyclists need to own. All of these topics expand the range of searches their web pages land in.
Be careful to avoid words that give the wrong impression, however. You want to use clear language to draw in more business through the right searches. For instance, that bicycle shop doesn’t want to mislead customers about the types of products they keep in stock, so they include specific, intentional SEO to draw from the right pool of search terms.
Also, add eye-catching images to ensure your website draws attention through visual searches. Include photos of in-stock items, step-by-step instructions, customers enjoying your products—anything to illustrate the written content on your site.
- Refresh Your Knowledge of SEO Strategies
Do you keep up with strategies to improve your SEO? The Google updates spark a great reason to reevaluate your website’s SEO and make sure you’re getting the results you want when it comes to drawing in more traffic.
Creating effective SEO will drastically improve how your website attracts customers. Not only will it appear more frequently in search results, but having the right SEO will determine how you reach customers with the solutions they look for. SEO shapes the story you tell through your website and the products and services you offer.
Take some time to learn the best analytics to pay attention to on your website. You really will see the results in the amount of traffic you get and you’ll boost your sales.
- Give Your Webpages Eye-Catching Titles
Previously, almost no one clicked past the second “O” in the Google results pages. Now, since mobile searches have an infinite scroll, that problem gets erased. The difference between rank 10 and 11 (between the cutoff for pages 1 and 2) matters much less. Instead of a separate page creating a barrier to visibility, the links themselves have to entice the reader to click.
Examine your webpages’ preview text and blog titles to make sure each one would capture the attention of someone scrolling through results. One way to make titles stand out: offer solutions to common issues your ideal customers deal with.
If you want to learn more about how to improve your SEO or want help creating catchy website features, reach out to us today!
Further Reading: Top 3 Stats Real SEO Experts Look For
Photos Courtesy of Seth Cottle and Ashley de Lotz